Her Guardian
by girlovesmoosey
Summary: After Mario and Peach's death, Luigi is left to look after their child. In an effort to keep her safe, he remains in hiding for eight years until he mysteriously disappears, leaving the young princess to fend for herself as she searches for him.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Thank you all for coming," the statuesque princess announced, cradling the child in her arms. "This means so much to us."

The room was filled with allies old and new, and many had come from afar to get a glimpse of the heiress to the Mushroom Kingdom throne.

"She looks just like you," Luigi nudged his elder brother with a chuckle. Mario nodded in agreement, but looked away, as if distracted. "Are you alright, Bro?"

"Yes, of course," he grinned nervously in reply, taking Peach's free hand.

"Honey, you can sit down if you like," she said, turning to him. "You seem a little worked up."

He simply shook his head.

"She's right," Starlow chimed in. The yellow star sprite sighed. "You're awful sweaty."

Without a word, he took the sleeping infant and bounced her up and down lightly. She had his brown hair, his blue eyes, a pudgy little nose and a few freckles. She was everything to him, but something felt...wrong.

"Princess, I-"

"Mario, we're married now. You don't have to call me 'Princess'. Besides, I'm a queen now."

"R-right," he stammered, clearing his throat. "It's just...something doesn't feel right."

"Everything's fine. Everyone's having a good time, and you should too. For Mara."

He looked back down at the child in his arms.

"I, too sense that something's amiss," Dreambert added, upon gliding to them through the halls. The Pi'illo prince was slightly out of breath, and his red clothes were now somewhat tattered.

"Dreambert, I thought you said you couldn't make it," Peach stated. "But I'm glad you did. Help yourself to some tea. We have desserts downstairs if-"

"No, something's-"

The room became quiet as a small thud was heard. This was followed by another, and then another.

"Take her somewhere safe," Mario handed the baby to Dreambert, who exited the room, Peach and Starlow following.

Everyone froze and the room turned to a frenzy as the wall smashed into many pieces. Bowser stood there, arms folded, with at least two hundred minions behind him.

"Looks like someone forgot to invite me to the party!" Bowser chuckled as the majority of the guests darted from the room. "Now where's the little brat?"

"You take your pathetic army and get out of here!" Mario growled. "What do you want?"

"I just came to welcome the new princess to the world, is all."

"Look, I can kick your sorry tail like I have many times before, or you can-"

"Hey, no need to get hostile, Mario. Just hand over the kid, and this'll be easier for the both of us. Unless you want my minions to do it for you."

"Mario, we're outnumbered," Luigi said nervously. "There's no way we can-"

"I've had enough of this," the koopa king rolled his eyes and turned to his minions. "Seize them. I'll get the kid."

"WAIT!" Peach barged out of the next room, her head down. "You can take me...just don't hurt my baby."

"Hm...that might interfere with my plan" he said to himself as about thirty elite soldiers detained the Mario Brothers. "Very well, your highness. Let's go."

He proudly threw hew over his shoulder and turned around.

"Protect her, Mario! Don't worry about me this time!"

Bowser and his army left, and Mario was stunned.

"It's okay, we'll get her back," Luigi nodded. "As long as Mara's safe, right?"

"Mario, Luigi!" Starlow cried as she and Dreambert approached.

"He took her..." Mario seemed more of a wreck than before. "I couldn't do anything...why couldn't I have done something?"

"It's not your fault," The prince handed Mara to him, who was now crying. "He's a lot stronger than he used to be."

"But...I have a family now. This can't keep happening..."

"What would he want with a six-month-old child?" Starlow wondered.

"I don't know, and I don't want to find out," Mario sighed. "I'm going to have to defeat him once and for all. No more games this time."

"But Mario...you'd just kill him? Like that?" Luigi tilted his head.

"I have to."

"How?"

"I don't know," he looked down. "It's either that, or a truce. And that's not going to happen."

"I'm not sure if I can agree with you here...I mean, that's a little harsh. I'm sure you can come to a compromise...or-or-"

"Luigi, what do you know? You don't have a child to worry about, nor have you lost two others. I mean, he's not going to stop, and I'm not going to lose Peach or Mara."

"Who lit the fuse on your tampon, _fratello_?" Luigi mumbled.

"What was that?" Mario growled.

"Guys, now isn't the time for bickering. We just need to get Peach back before she gets hurt!" Starlow cried.

"I'll keep her safe," Luigi nodded.

"Okay...fine," Mario handed her to him and walked out the door, Dreambert and Starlow following.

* * *

Several hours passed, and Luigi spent most of them pacing around the castle. He had finally gotten Mara to stop crying, and was exhausted himself. With a proud sigh, he headed to put the formula away.

"_Fa la ninna, fa la nanna...Nella braccia della zio...Fa la ninna bel bambin_..." He stopped singing and looked up at the clock on the wall. "Geez, it's late...I hope Mario's on his way home."

By midnight, Luigi was worried sick, and couldn't sleep. Mario never stayed out this long.

Finally, he heard the door open. Except, it was just Starlow.

"Luigi!" she was panicked, and Mara began to cry.

"Starlow, what is it? Where's Mario?"

"You need to come to the castle now! Mario needs you!"

"Okay," Luigi put on Peach's baby sling and placed Mara inside. He could hear Starlow mumble something about how ridiculous he was before they headed out the door.

Once they arrived at the castle, he could see that Bowser was waiting for him. He had an ominous red glow, but what alarmed him the most was that Mario was on the ground, unmoving and covered in blood.

"Mario!" Luigi rushed to his brother's side. Mario opened his eyes a little.

"L-Luigi...take...care of them..."

"No, Mario, you're not going to die! Please, I can't go on without you!"

His eyes closed, and Luigi's filled with tears.

"Poor Mario," Bowser taunted. "It was about time I showed him who was boss."

Luigi looked over and Peach was several feet away, unconscious, but not nearly as bad as Mario. She was sickly and pale, but she was definitely alive.

"Peach..." he looked up at Bowser. "What did you do to them? Y-You better stop!"

"I don't take orders from some..._player two!_" Bowser smiled, folding his arms. "Now hand over the girl, and maybe I'll spare your life."

"You'll have to pry her from my cold, dead hands!" Luigi cried. He came to Peach's side. "Peach, wake up. We need to get you home!"

"Don't you get it, Green Stache? It was easy- all I had to do was harvest the queen's magic to use for myself. I'm sure she won't mind once I marry her. She is a widow, after all."

"Luigi," Peach's eyes were half open. "Please...look after Mara..."

"No, I can save you! I can save you both!"

"You can't save them. It's too late," Bowser said. "That is...unless you surrender the child. Hand her over and I can heal them. Both of them."

"No...Luigi...run. Don't try to fight him," Peach gasped. "He's too strong..."

"I can't leave you!" Luigi cried.

"Luigi, Mario's dead...and you need to protect her."

Tears ran down his face. He held the baby close and darted towards the door.

"AFTER THEM!" Bowser cried, and a plethora of minions followed him out of the castle gates. He was faster than all of them, but he was going to run out of breath sooner or later.

"Luigi!" Starlow and Dreambert glided alongside him. "Get to safety. We'll hold them back!"

"Thank you..."

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him as his friends used their magic to detain the enemies.

It was like a nightmare, except he couldn't wake up.

**Hey again. It's me. **

** So, I wrote this awhile back, and I decided to publish it now. I've been having problems concentrating and stuff, so don't expect quick updates. I think I do have a completed chapter two somewhere around here, but I would love some feedback. Any tips or ideas? **

**Alert me of errors or anything of the sort, please.**

**If you have questions or comments, PM me. I'll respond. :D**


	2. The Adventure Begins

_ Today marks the eight-year anniversary of the Mushroom Kingdom tragedy, and Queen Peach's suicide following the death of the Mario Brothers. The younger brother's remains have still not been recovered, nor have the young princess'. All hail King Bowser. This is Tom Toadley reporting live from-_

Turning the television off, he took another sip of his beer and sighed.

"Why...couldn't it have been me?"

Luigi held his head, but his frown soon turned to a smile.

"Daddy!"

"Mara, good morning," he grinned as the little girl ran over to hug him. Truthfully, he loved the kid, but he just hated that she looked just like...him. Every day, he was reminded of how he had failed everyone he loved and just...ran away. Every morning, he saw his eyes, his curly hair...

She climbed onto the couch next to him and put his hat on her head, as she often did.

"Wanna hear me play _Tu Scende Dalle Stelle_on my violin?"

"No, Daddy has a headache right now."

"But you always have a headache in the mornings."

He became slightly annoyed.

"Why don't you go color. I'll start on breakfast, alright?"

"Okey-dokey!" she tripped on her feet on her way to the bedroom, and with a small giggle, Luigi headed to the kitchen.

He opened the cabinet and sighed, as there wasn't much there, and about half of its contents were stolen. It's not like he could have a job while he was in hiding. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and that meant living in an underground home in a city where people were executed every day just for looking at Bowser's minions funny.

They were always moving from place to place, residing in small towns and villages. There were less places to stay, as Bowser conquered more and more territories. He was extremely powerful, and there was nothing Luigi could do. He killed Mario so quickly and effortlessly, and it was hard to imagine what would have happened had he taken Mara.

Before he knew it, he was sitting at the kitchen table with his face in his arms, sobbing.

Nothing mattered anymore. Not when he had lost everything. He would have left this monochromatic world long ago if it wasn't for his brother's dying wish. He had a responsibility now. The hardest part was seeing him every day in her eyes, and it was tormenting him.

"Is something burning?" she came into the kitchen and turned off the stove, where a pan of scrambled eggs was nearly on fire. Mara sat at the table and looked at him. "Are you crying? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing's wrong," he wiped his eyes and smiled, ruffling her hair. She had changed into her overalls and white shirt, and her hair was in a messy bun. "Why don't you go practice your violin, Kiddo."

"But I want to spend the day with you."

"Alright then. What do you want to do?"

"Let's bake cookies again."

"But we're all out of flour."

She looked down and sighed. He had to give her some sympathy. She couldn't do much because Luigi wouldn't dare let her outside. She rarely saw the light of day, and she was afraid of it anyway. He had to scare some sense into her, or else she would be tempted to leave the house. He was always making up some crazy story about how dangerous the outside world was. He always had an answer when she asked a question he would have rather avoided. If she knew about her family's past...

"I really...really want to make cookies."

"Okay," he huffed. "I'll go to the marketplace and get some flour."

"W-wait! Wait, I changed my mind. Don't leave!"

"The marketplace is just around the corner. I can handle it."

"Daddy, you're going to die if you leave! It's scary out there."

"Look, I go all the time, and nothing's ever happened. I always come home, right?"

"But you said-"

"I'll be fine. We need some vegetables anyway. I was already planning on going today."

"And you'll just leave me here?"

"You're mature. You're always okay when I come home."

She looked down at her feet.

"Okay," she said. Luigi grabbed his key and kissed her on the forehead. He put his green hat upon her head and turned around.

"Don't open the door for anyone, alright, _il mio bel bambina_?"

"Yes, Daddy," she responded as he left the house. She was often left at home alone, and she hated the feeling that her dad was out there, vulnerable.

Hours passed. Normally, Luigi would have been home by now. It was late into the afternoon, and she was beginning to feel uneasy.

"_Dove sei...?_" she muttered, tapping her foot anxiously in front of the ladder that led to the outside world. He never stayed out for hours without warning. Something was wrong, and she knew it.

There was no sign of him. The eight-year-old held back tears, pacing through the halls. Maybe he was hurt and needed her help. Or could he have gotten lost?

Soon, the moon rose, and she couldn't help but feel terrified. She knew what she had to do.

Mara went into her immaculate bedroom and dug through her closet. She pulled out a pair of black mary-janes and hesitantly put them on. She took a small bag and filled it with one mushroom, a kitchen knife, and a pudding cup.

"Don't worry, Daddy," she latched the door open and flinched as it closed behind her. Carefully, she stepped onto the grass, her heart pounding with terror. Tears filled her eyes, but she held her bag close to her and sighed, "I'll find you. No matter what."

**I would proofread this, but I'm not feeling it.**

**Please review. I would like that a lot. :D**


	3. Bad Guys

"_Farfallina belle e bianca..._," She sang to herself, staring at her feet. With every step, she was filled with more and more anxiety. It was dark out, and she couldn't see well, but she knew she had to find him.

Mara was sure she knew where the marketplace was, though she had never been there. It was north of the wishing well and beside the river. At least, that's what she was told. But then again, she was also told that little girls couldn't go outside without their daddies, or else they would bleed from their eyes and die immediately. She was surprised enough that such hadn't occurred.

"Which way...is north?" she turned in a circle and looked around. There was no sign of a well, or anything at that. All she could see were trees and tall grass. She suddenly heard something move through the brush. She took a few steps back and two figures came into view. "D-daddy?" she backed up some more upon realizing that she had never seen them before. Actually, she had never really seen a real person other than Luigi except for movies and television. "I...I-I have a weapon!"

The two beings were definitely unfamiliar. They looked almost exactly the same. They were like turtles, but they had bright green shells and both wielded a hammer.

"What are you doing out at this hour? All residents are required to be in their homes at curfew," one said. He gazed at her green hat and gave a puzzled look. "That hat...it looks familiar..."

"You're right, Finley," the other folded his arms. "Hey, kid, where'd you get it?"

"I'm not allowed to talk to strangers, so I'll be on my way!" she turned, but one of them grabbed her arm.

"I think we need to take her in. She seems suspicious. All suspicious activity must be reported to King Bowser."

"What is your name, citizen?"

"I'm not-"

"When a troop asks your name, you give it," Finley growled sternly, lifting her up by her shirt. "Do I make myself clear? Where are your papers?"

"Look...I-I'm not really familiar with this place," she said shakily.

"So you're just passing through?"

"No! M-my name is Mara and..." she pulled herself away. "I just need to find my daddy! Please!"

"I knew I recognized you from somewhere! Heh, think, we've been looking for you for eight years and here you are. Jason, I think we're looking at a hefty raise here. Inject her, and let's go."

The second Finley pulled out a a syringe, she screamed and tried to pull away.

"No! Go away!"

"It'll only sting for a second. Then you'll take a long nap."

When his hand came close enough, Mara bit it, and she wriggled free. She held her bag close to her and began to run as fast as she could.

"Hey, get back here, Kid!"

She wasn't aware that she could run this fast, as she never really ran, but she couldn't outrun them for long.

"Stay back!" she took the knife from her bag and shakily pointed it at them. She looked around. She was at a dead end in an alleyway and had nowhere to turn. They tightly grasped their hammers and were exhausted from chasing after her.

"Please, just calm down..."

"I...I'll hurt you! Leave me alone! Go away!"

"There's no use fighting. I trained ten years for this. I suggest you surrender now. If not, we'll have to use force. I have no problem killing scum like you."

"Finn, we should give her a break. She is just a kid..."

"No, this rotten human's going to get what she deserves. It's either that, or we can execute her here and now. And frankly, I don't care, because my shift's over in a half hour."

"Okay, kid," Jason sighed. "Just come with us, and we won't have to hurt you."

"Not until I find my daddy!"

"Your father?" Finley took her arm. The two exchanged looks and he chuckled. "Don't you know your father's dea-"

She stabbed him, pushing the blade as far as it would go. He fell to the ground, unmoving.

"Oh my...I...I'm sorry!" Mara gasped. Jason only stared at the remains of his fallen comrade. "I didn't mean to...I mean, he said..."

Jason put his weapon away, much to Mara's surprise.

"You did what you had to."

"What? But aren't you mad at me?"

"Knowing what you were in for, no. He wouldn't have let you go. I'm not saying it's justifiable...but he's killed a lot of people who didn't deserve it...I'm above all that crap. To be honest, I clocked out an hour ago, but I always have to watch over Finn. He's pretty...brutal. And merciless," he sighed. "The name's Jason. By law, I have to kill you now. But screw the law, right? So what's your deal? What are you really up to?"

"I told you. My daddy's missing. I need to find him," she pointed to the hat on her head. "This is his hat. Do you know him?"

"Well...uh...," he looked down as he realized what was going on. Of course she didn't know about what had happened eight years ago. But he did. "No, I'm sorry, Kiddo."

"Please, you have to help me! He's a really tall man and sometimes he smells like beer, and he has brown hair just like mine," tears ran down her cheeks as she became more frustrated. "Please..."

"Look, as much as I want to help you, I can't. If I help you...they won't fire me, they'll kill me."

"But...you said screw the law."

"Listen, Kid," he knelt down to her. "Whatever you do, don't step foot in the Mushroom Kingdom. It's about ten miles from here, and you won't live two minutes there. If you know what's best for you, you'll just go back home and wait for your...dad to come back like a good little girl, alright?"

"Y-y-you're not going to h-help me?" she began to sob into her arms.

"F-fine, here," he handed her a small sack of coins. "Now please, get lost and don't let anyone know where you got these."

"I-I want my d-daddy," she rubbed her eyes, but the tears continued to come out.

"Okay, fine...I give," he sighed. "It's just...you remind me of someone I..."

"Oh, thank you!" she hugged him, and he shushed her. "You're the nicest person in the whole world. I'm sure I'll find him now," she looked up. "You'll protect me, right?"

"Yeah," he looked down, and he seemed almost sad. "Of course."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing. Look, we'll go to my apartment, and settle down. You need a place to sleep, right?"

"Yeah," she nodded and took his hand. They didn't walk very far before she asked, "Jason, why do you kill people?"

"To be honest, I never killed anyone. I...couldn't. Except a heart of gold isn't exactly what Bowser wants in his minions."

"Why do you work for him? Isn't he a jerk?"

"We were drafted. Bowser's taking over, and this small town of yours is becoming koopa territory. Hell, I don't want to work for the guy. I wanted to be a doctor. I studied real hard...but all we koopas are allowed to do now is work for Bowser."

"I've never seen a real doctor. But I hear they're really smart and they help you when you're sick, right?"

"Yeah, that's the idea...," he looked down again, tears filling his eyes.

"You're not crying, are you? Because then I'll cry again."

"No, don't worry about me. You...don't want to hear my backstory. You wouldn't understand."

"I can try," she smiled reassuringly.

"Maybe another time," they climbed up the steps to his apartment. He opened the door, and let her in. "I know it isn't much, but-"

"It's beautiful!" she ran inside and hopped onto his dilapidated red sofa. Besides a small table and a ceiling fan, it's all that was there.

"Shut up in there!" came a female voice from another room.

"Don't mind her. That's my roommate," Jason snickered. "She doesn't care much about me, or anything for that matter, so don't worry about her."

"It smells funny," Mara looked around. "Does anything interesting happen around here?"

"Well, our neighbor's chain chomp just had pups, but other than that, no."

"That's too bad," she plopped down onto the couch.

"Well, I'm going to bed," he yawned. "Blankets are in the closet if you need 'em."

"Ahem," she folded her arms as he began to walk away.

"What?" he tilted his head.

"Aren't you going to read me a story?"

"What do I look like to you? You're lucky I let you stay here," he huffed. _I shouldn't have to deal with this, _he thought. _I'm only seventeen._

"It's just that...," she looked down. "Daddy always reads me stories at night..."

"Fine," he groaned. He went into another room and after several minutes, he came back with a small booklet. "This is all I have."

She looked at it.

"This is a manual to set up a television. You don't even have a TV."

"I know, but I don't have storybooks," he sat next to her and opened it as she grabbed a small nearby blanket. "Section one: your cables and you. Subsection one: How to install the three cables that come with your Telemagic set. Step one, ensure that your cables are tidy and all labeled by color. If you are a goomba or of another naturally colorblind species, notice that the AUDIO and VIDEO cables are..."

He looked down to notice that Mara was sound asleep. He stood up and sighed deeply.

"Kids."


	4. You're All the Same

_"Welcome back, madame." _

_ Mara stood and smiled to see a familiar face. He was an elderly toad with small glasses and a purple vest. _

_ "This place again," she said, looking around. She had seen it many times. The walls were pink and a long red rug was spread across the floor. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was a happy place with very nice people. Walking down the halls, she saw her. A beautiful lady with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She had on a big pink dress and wore a crown with stunning alignment of jewels. As Mara approached her, she took her hand and grinned._

_ "You've grown so beautiful, Mara," she said. They sat at a nearby table and a toad brought them both a cup of tea._

_ "Thank you," she nodded in reply. Mara had no idea who this lady was. She had asked before many times but never got an answer. "I wish I could stay here forever."_

_ "Oh, sweetie," she fluffed up Mara's hair. "I'll always be with you. Never forget that, okay?"_

_ "Miss...," she looked up at her. "You said I can ask you anything, right?"_

_ "Of course, hon."_

_ "Where did my daddy disappear to? I'm on a quest to find him."_

_ "Well, I do wish you the best of luck."_

_ "D-do you know where he is?"_

_ "I...," she looked down. "Mara, Luigi will be okay. All I ask is that you stay safe."_

_ "Answer me! You know, don't you?"_

"Wake up! Kid! Wake up! Get off of my couch!"

Mara opened her eyes and there stood a paratroopa with a red shell, a nose piercing and a pink choker. She had long eyelashes and held a broom in her hands.

"Hm?" Mara tilted her head as she handed her the broom.

"Look, kid, if you're going to stay here, you're going to clean it too. Start on the kitchen, and I want this place spotless by noon."

"I don't know how to clean. My daddy always cleaned for me. He says it calms him down."

"Well, it's about time you learned," she folded her arms and left the room. Mara looked down and sighed, taking the broom into the kitchen. She swept away as best she could, but quickly became exhausted. She looked at a fridge and there was a drawing of a little hammer brother family, presumably drawn by a child. At the bottom, it simply said "Haley" in blue crayon. The picture depicted two brothers, two parents, and a little girl in a wheelchair holding a balloon. The sun was drawn in the corner of the page, and it was slightly wrinkled with a coffee stain on the bottom left corner.

Out of habit, Mara opened the fridge and looked inside. There was only milk, processed cheese, and berries.

"Did I say you could look through our stuff?" Mara turned, and Jason's roommate had returned. "God, humans are so stupid. I ask you to do one simple thing and you screw it up."

"I'm sorry...I-"

She slapped her so hard across the face, she fell to the ground.

"I don't understand how Jay thinks humans are okay. You're all the same," she turned away. "Mindless, cold-blooded killers. I hope Bowser gets a hold of you."

Mara sniffled and put her hand on the red mark on her cheek.

"Aren't all koopas supposed to work for him?" she asked. "W-what about you?"

"I was deemed mentally unstable. Honestly, I failed the test on purpose," she looked at Mara, who had tears running down her cheeks. "God, quit crying."

"I'm sorry..."

"Save your breath. And get this place clean. My girlfriend's coming over later."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Stella," she sneered. "It's Stella."

Mara stood up and wiped her face. She began to clean the kitchen counter and soon enough, she began to sweat. She never did much, so she didn't exactly have much stamina.

She moved to the living room once the kitchen was spotless, grabbed the vacuum, and began to clean the rug.

"Christ, Stella, why are you cleaning so early?" Jason came out of his bedroom and was rather shocked to see that Mara was there. "Hey, kid, you don't have to do all that. That's what I'm here for."

"Stella told me to."

"Did she? Why's your cheek so red? Did you fall?"

"No, I got in trouble for not listening."

"Ugh...that bitch...," he looked at Mara and shook his head. "Excuse me. I didn't mean to swear."

"It's alright," she turned the vacuum off and sighed.

"Why don't you get your shoes on and we'll go out and look for your dad? I don't have work today."

Excitedly, she ran towards the door where she had placed her shoes, tripping over her own feet as she did so. She put them on, and took his hand.

"Let's-a go!" she threw her arm into the air, but Jason shook his head.

"It's not safe. We should disguise you."

"Why?"

"Just trust me, okay?" he went into a nearby drawer and grabbed a pair of scissors.

"W-what are you doing?"

"I'm going to cut your hair."

"No!" she grabbed her hair and backed away. "I've never cut it. I like it like this!"

"It's for your own good," he sighed. In defeat, she turned around and he began to snip off chunks of her lengthy hair. When he was done, he took a few steps back to admire his work. "Heh, I should be a hairdresser."

"I just vacuumed here," she groaned, looking down at the plethora of brown locks on the ground. She gasped when she felt her hair. It hardly passed her ears. "Okay...c-can we go now?"

He shook his head and left the room, coming back with a small container.

"You're still recognizable," he said, taking two little bowl shaped things from there.

"What's that?"

"Color contacts."

"What?"

"You put them in your eyes and they change the color," he said, grabbing her face. "Hold still, okay? Try not to blink."

"Why can't I-hey! That stings!"

She blinked until the contact was in place and he put the other one in.

"See, now you have green eyes."

"I liked my eyes how they were," she uttered. "NOW can we go? Please?"

"Okay, okay."

She put on Luigi's hat, but he shook his head.

"What?" she asked.

"You can't wear that. But I'll take it with us," he said, storing it in his shell.

She took his hand and they left the apartment.

They walked a few moments in silence.

"I don't like my hair like this," she grumbled.

"You didn't even see it."

"But my daddy said he liked my hair long. Now he might not like me anymore."

"That's ridiculous," he chuckled in reply. He took her into a small ice cream shop and they walked to the counter.

"I don't think my dad's in here," she looked around at the arrangement of flavors.

"Yeah, but I figured you'd be hungry. What flavor do you want?"

"Chocolate," she replied.

"Okay," he faced the clerk, who was a purple yoshi. "One chocolate and one cookies and cream."

"Wait!" she stood on her toes. "I want cookies and cream!"

The clerk nodded and handed them two ice cream cones.

"Thank you, mister," she grinned as they left the shop. She licked her ice cream and looked up at Jason. "I've never had ice cream for breakfast."

"Really? I do it all the time," he snickered. "You'll get used to it."

"I'm not going to get used to it. I'm going to find my daddy. Today."

"Right," he said. "O-of course."

"I think he'll like you. You're nice."

"Aw, thanks, Kid," he smiled, ruffling her hair like Luigi always did.

Soon, they stopped at a familiar place. A place Mara had only read about.

"Woah, a park!" she exclaimed, pointing at it. "Look!"

"Yes, I know," he nodded. "Well, go on."

"I can't. We have to keep going."

"A few minutes won't hurt."

"Okay..." she took her shoes off and joined the several kids on the playground. Jason sat on a nearby bench and sighed. He couldn't keep stalling like this. He wasn't taking this kid to the Mushroom Kingdom, and he was sure in his mind that's where Luigi was. Maybe he could just look after Mara. Luigi was probably dead, anyway. Or worse. But now he felt he was just helping the kid to fill a void in his heart. He had nobody. Not a friend in the world. A few okay acquaintances, but no friends.

Before he knew it, he had lost sight of the little girl. Jason hadn't realized that he sat in thought for nearly a half hour. She could be anywhere by now.

"Mara!" he called. He probably searched the perimeter of the park twice before finding her face-down in in the grass, far from where the kids where. "What are you doing?"

When she sat up, he noticed that she was covered in bruises and had been crying.

"N-nothing...c-can we please go now?"

"What the hell happened? Are you alright?"

"The kids...don't like me."

"What? Why?"

"They said humans are rotten and all they do is kill things," she sniffled. "Y-you said you would protect me."

"I know, I'm sorry," he helped her up. "You know, I'm starting to think it's time to go back home. We can look for him tomorrow."

"But we just started!" she cried. "What are you saying? I want to find him!"

"Look at yourself. You need to go home and rest."

"No! I'm not going back until I know where he is! Even if I have to find him myself!"

"That's crazy, Mara. Look, we can go, have lunch, and call it a day. Your dad will be fine."

"Do you promise?"

"Uh..."

"Promise me! Promise me he'll be okay!"

"I..."

"You can't promise, can you? Because he might need my help now!"

She tugged on his arm but he wouldn't budge.

"I'm sorry, but...I can't do this anymore..."

"But...you...," she pulled on his arm with every word. "Have...to..."

"No," he said sternly. "Look, if you know what's best for you, you'll just listen and understand that he's gone! He's not going to come back, and you're not going to just find him under a rock! I don't want to see you get hurt. I don't want to see you killed like I have plenty of people before you. So please...just trust me when I say...let him go."  
She backed away from him slowly.

"You're lying...," she began to cry again. "I thought you cared about me!"

"I do. That's why I can't let you do this, okay?"

She looked down.

"You don't understand!" she cried.

"I understand exactly, okay? YOU don't understand, Mara. I'm trying to help you. But of course you don't get it! Stella's right. You humans are all the same!"

She gasped, and without looking back, she ran as fast as she could. She didn't know where she was going, but he was a liar, and she needed to get away from him.

He didn't even chase after her. She could die for all he cared...right?


	5. The Nameless Chapter

Hours passed, and she didn't know where she was going. She didn't care. She was going to find him. Even if it killed her.

It didn't take long before she found herself surrounded by trees and brush. A nearby sign read "Blueville Woods".

"The woods..." she said to herself, wiping the tears from her face. It didn't look promising, but it was a step forward in her quest. She briskly walked through it, though she was terrified as she did so.

"Daddy?" she called, a slight whisper in her voice. She rubbed a bruise on her arm and sighed, taking the color contacts out of her eyes and throwing them behind her. "Daddy was right...I can't trust anyone."

The sunlight was reduced to a flicker in the distance as sunset approached. Unfortunately, this brought on ten-degree weather and snowfall. She wrapped her arms around herself as every inch of her felt like it would freeze off. Her hair was covered in flakes of snow, and her breathing became slow and shallow. She began to feel weak and sleepy, but she had to keep moving.

Several times, she tripped over her own feet, but carried on, hoping she would find some sign that led her to him.

_Keep going, you'll be there soon enough._

_ He needs you, Mara._

She became weaker and weaker, but she couldn't keep going at this point.

Soon enough, everything went black and she fell into a mound of snow.

Her limbs fell numb and she didn't move for several hours.

_Please, keep going._

_ I won't let you die this way._

_ You can stop him. _

_ Set our people free._

"Wake up, please! I...I'm so sorry. God, I'm such an idiot!"

She opened her eyes and smiled a little bit. She now had on a thick winter coat. It still snowed, but not nearly as heavily as before.

"J-Jason..."

He hugged her tightly.

"Don't do that again! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Me? B-but you're the one who-"

"It doesn't matter. I was stupid," he stood up. "Can you walk?"

She tried to stand, but she fell. Several times, she attempted to balance herself, but to no avail.

"N-no," her speech was now slurred, and she was starting to lose consciousness.

"Hey, don't die on me now!" he picked her up and put her on his shoulders.

"But...I...need to find...," she closed her eyes yet again, unresponsive.

When she came to, she was covered in a warm blanket with a red floral pattern. She blinked a few times, and discovered that she was in a place she had never seen before. There were two beds and a television in the room.

Frantically, she sat up.

"Jason, where are you?" she cried.

"Calm down, Kiddo," he brought her a bowl of soup from the kitchen.

"Where are we? D-did we find him yet?"

"We're in a hotel, and no," Jason responded. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap," she sipped some of her soup. "My head hurts."

"Well, I'm going to sleep. If you need anything, wake me up, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed. She slowly ate her soup, which tasted like the type Luigi would buy sometimes. He used to say it was his "secret recipe" but she knew it was store-bought.

Once she finished it, she shakily stood up and shambled to the kitchen, putting the bowl into the sink. She went over to the window and looked out. They were still in the woods, and the location of the hotel was rather odd. She glanced into the sky and sighed.

"Please...," she folded her hands. "Please let me find him. I don't care what happens to me. I just want my daddy to be okay."

She stumbled back to her bed and turned off the lamp. She closed her eyes and turned over.

_"H-hello?" she seemed to be walking in a dark abyssal place, and there was no sign of anyone. She looked up and saw a tall shadowy being, and she fell to her knees in fear._

_ "Oh, it's you," he growled deeply. She could almost make out sharp teeth and horns._

_ "Who are you? What do you want?"_

_ "I'm coming for you, Mara," he had a gargantuan evil grin. "You can't hide from me."_

_ "No! I'm going to be a hero! I'm going to rescue my daddy!"_

_ "Oh, Mara," he pinched her cheek. "We're all the hero in our own stories, aren't we? Because to me, you're the bad guy. Your people are the reason why I've failed so many times before. But now, I've won. And this time, I won't be stopped by the likes of...you."_

_ He grew nearly three times in size, and she backed away, terrified. She screamed in utter panic and began to freeze up._

_ "L-leave me alone!"_

_ "I'll give you a head start..."_

_ She turned and ran as fast as she could. She could hear him stomping loudly, and she had reached a dead end. She turned and looked at him. He came closer and closer..._

"Hey! Mara, are you alright? Wake up! Stop crying, please!"

She opened her eyes, and everything was blurry due to the tears that filled them.

"Oh, thank god," Jason ruffled her hair. "You were having one hell of a nightmare, Kid."

Mara didn't respond. She just looked up at him.

"Mara? Hello? A-are you okay?" he questioned. "I hate to add to your anxiety, but we're snowed in."

She looked over and the snow completely covered their first-story window.

"N-no," she ran over to the window and pressed her hands against it. "NO!" she cried. "W-we can still go today! We have to!"

"Sorry, Mar," he sighed. She turned to him, unsure if she liked the nickname. "Maybe we'll go home tomorrow."

"Wait...," she folded her arms. "You're still not taking me?"

"Mara, you would have died had I not found you! What makes you think you'll survive out there? I wouldn't even survive out there."

She became angry.

"If you didn't save my life yesterday, I would..."

"I'm sorry about how I went about everything, but I don't regret my decision."

"It's because you don't want me to find him! You don't care about me! You just want to make me miserable!"

"Look," he sighed deeply. "I care about you more than I've cared for someone in a long time. And I didn't realize it until you left and almost ended up dead."

"You're an awful, manipulative person! You're so parsimonious!"

"You don't even know what that means!"

"Yeah, but you're not very nice sometimes! Sometimes, I want to hug you, but other times...like right now, I hate you!"

"Well, sometimes, you're a stubborn brat!"

"You're stubborn-er! Stop telling me what to do!"

"Well, someone has to!"

"My daddy's the most important person in the world! You can't take that from me! If I want to go find him, that should be my choice!"

"Stop being difficult!"

"I'm not being difficult! I'm not the one incapable of love!"

"Oh please! you wouldn't know love if it bit you in the ass! If he loved you, he wouldn't have left you home alone in the first place!"

"I HATE Y-"

She was cut off when he took a lamp and threw it at the wall beside her. She wasn't sure if he was aiming for her, but she became speechless.

"Shut up and listen," he inched closer to her. "If you think for one second that I'll let you get killed out there, you're wrong. If you want to get killed, I have every right to do so right now. So if I were you, I'd calm the hell down and listen! He's dead, Mara! Bowser wouldn't have spared him! Give it a rest! Don't try to be a hero, because you can't stop him. He's in that hellhole of a kingdom and I'm not letting you near there!"

"B-but-"

"Don't you dare start crying!"

"But maybe I could just..."

"Wake up, Kid! He's-"

"No! You're wrong!" she ran into the bathroom and locked herself in. He knocked on the door.

"Mara, you can't hide in there forever."

"No, but there's a window in here, and once the ice thaws, I'm-"

"This is ridiculous!" Jason cried. "Look, I'm sorry. S-sometimes, I get angry and I say things I don't mean."

"I bet you wish I was dead!"

"No, not at all!"

"You've lied to me this whole time! Why should I believe you? You said you would help me! You told me you would protect me!"

"I..."

"If you really cared about me, you would understand that I need to do this. I don't want to fight anymore. I don't want to cry. I just want my daddy to be okay. I don't care if I get hurt or if I die. I just need him to be alright."

"...Mara..."

"I'm old enough to understand what could potentially happen. I know I might get hurt. But If I die knowing I tried, that'll be good enough. I want to feel like I've done something worthwhile. They say pain makes you stronger...so how much more do I have to cry before I'm good enough?"

"You're very mature for your age," he looked down, and she opened the door and looked at him, teary-eyed.

"So will you help me? For real now. I want you to be honest this time. Not fake honest like before, but real honest, like most people are incapable of."

"I have no choice," he sighed. "I'll take you. But the second you get hurt...even a scratch, we're going home, and you'll never talk about going again. Do you understand?"

"Thank you!" she hugged him tightly. She pulled away and looked back at the snow-covered window.

"We'll go once the snow clears up a little."

They sat on their beds on opposite sides of the room. There was nothing to do. No cable, no outside world.

Several minutes were spent in silence between them until Jason looked over at her and sighed.

"Her name was Haley."

"Who?"

"My sister. You remind me so much of her," he looked down. "She was eleven, but you two would have been the best of friends. She was sick for three years and then one day...she was gone. My brother, the eldest...he killed himself over it. I was fifteen at the time, and he was twenty. Not much later, the letters started sending out. Bowser needed more troops, and we were forced to work for him. If we refused, we were killed. That's just the way it is. But I'm risking my life to protect you...because I'm empty inside. I don't have anyone. And you, well, you're just so much like her. A little cowardly, but you have a genuine personality. It's something I don't see in a lot of people. You're not like other humans I've met."

"I understand," she had her arms around her knees, sitting up. "I'm sorry."

"You're not Haley, but having someone like you around...I haven't been happy in a long time. I could never take her to the park or to get ice cream. I always slept beside her bed, hoping she would get better. I began to study really hard, and I promised I would become a doctor so I could cure her. I...never did. And because of it, I always felt like her death was my fault. I could have helped and I didn't."

She came over and hugged him.

"It's okay," she said. "I've always wanted a big brother anyway. I'll be the...second best little sister ever."

"Thanks," he smiled. "It...means a lot to me."

He took Luigi's cap from his shell and placed it on her head. She giggled and wrapped her arms around him.

"No...," she took the cap off and held it close before restfully closing her eyes. "Thank _you_."


	6. Arrival

"Wake up! Wake up! The snow's gone! We can go now!"

Mara fell off of his bed upon tugging his arm.

"It's seven in the morning. C-can't you-"

"We have to go before it snows again! Come on!" she got back up and stood by him.

"Okay," he sat up and groaned. "Alright, I'm up."

"I made your coffee. Now let's go!"

"You know how to make coffee?"

"Of course. I don't like it so much, though," she handed him a cup she had set on the bedside table. "Hurry! DRINK IT!"

"Calm down, Kiddo," he yawned and sipped the coffee. It was surprisingly disgusting.

"Okay, you're ready now. Hurry up! We need to go now!"

He stood up and put his shoes on, giving her the oversized brown winter coat and a pair of dark blue mittens. She held on to Luigi's cap and they walked out the door.

The woods were extremely cold this time of year, and not much could survive under the circumstances. But that didn't stop her. Luckily, she had Mario's willful heart. Contrarily, she also carried Luigi's timidness and clumsiness. It was something Jason had noticed in her. He had heard a lot about Mario and Luigi when they were famous. They were always doing great things, although most pf Bowser's minions didn't see it that way.

"You really have your mind set, don't you?" he looked down at her as she struggled to pick her feet up, as they seemed to get stuck in the snow with every step.

"Yup," she slipped, but picked herself up quickly and kept going.

"So...you haven't heard much about Bowser, have you?"

"Well, one time, I heard daddy say that Bowser is a no-good stupid murderer. I'm really scared of him. I've never seen him, but I'm scared that I won't be able to save my daddy if he has him."

"We're not going to try to defeat him. All we're going to do is sneak in, find your dad, and get out."

"Why are you so sure Bowser has him?"

"I just have reason to believe so," he shrugged.

"He's alive, you know. I can tell. I know these things because I'm smart. Daddy says I'm the smartest smartass he knows."

"Oh, did he?" he laughed in reply. It was a little true.

"Hey," she looked up at him. "Aren't you cold?"

"I only have one coat, and it's all yours, Kid."

"Woah, really? Forever?"

"Of course."

"You're so nice," she dropped Luigi's hat in the snow and picked it back up, brushing it off. "That's something my daddy would have done."

"Really? Well, I guess he's worth rescuing if he's so nice."

"He's the nicest person in the whole world. One time, I cut my finger in the kitchen, and he sewed it up, and it was all better. And then, on my birthday, he made me a cheesecake and he got drunk and we told stories all night long. And once, there was a mouse in the bathroom, and I told him he couldn't kill it, but we compromised, and I got to name it, but he still killed it. And once, he was sick, so I made soup for him with all of the veggies he bought," Mara began to tear up. "Oh, a-and then, once, I said a swear word and I didn't get in trouble. Another time, I almost set the kitchen on fire while he was gone, and he didn't even yell at me. A-and...th-then..."

"Hey, don't cry. We're going to find him, okay?"

"It's just...hard to be hopeful when y-you said he's dead..."

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm sure he's fine."

"You're darn right he is," she muttered.

It took hours to reach the end of the woods, and the entire time, they exchanged stories. It was almost like they were long-lost relatives.

Soon, they found a broken sign that said "Now Entering the Mushroom Kingdom".

"Well, here it is," Jason sighed. "Koopa territory."

"It smells like barbecue."

"Stay close to me, okay? If anyone asks, I'm...just taking you to Bowser."

"But you are."

"Yes, but they can't know we're looking for your dad."

"Oh, I see," she nodded, taking his hand. "It's like I'm in trouble."

"Exactly."

Within a few miles, Jason realized that all of the scary stories he had heard about this place were true. There was a dead person every thirty feet or so, and he constantly had to cover her eyes. Elite troops would walk behind their prisoners, weapons against their heads. Buildings were on fire, and shops had been raided. Any toads they saw were dead, or on their way to their dark fate. Of course, Jason was having second thoughts about this, but he couldn't turn back now.

"We have to keep going," he insisted, shielding her eyes from the goomba being gutted by a hammer brother beside them. "We'll be there soon. I promise."

She looked around fearfully.

"Are we going to die here?"

"No, I won't let you," he held her hand tightly. "Just stay close to me, alright?"

"O-okay," she still held the cap with her free hand. "You know, I read about something like this in a book...this evil guy with a small, ugly mustache, he-"

"State your name!"

Three koopas stood before them, each with a sharp blade.

"Um...I'm J...James...and this is my prisoner. I'm just taking her to Bowser."

"We were on our way there. We'll take care of it for you, Sir."

"No!" he held her close, but let go, trying to avoid suspicion. "D-don't you gentlemen worry about her. You wouldn't want to deal with her. She's rotten. She's...suspected of...uh...treason?"

"Then she must be executed at once!"

"I'm not rotten," she muttered.

"No! I mean, um, don't you think...Bowser should deal with it? I was thinking that...she could be reformed and work for him, you know?"

"That's freaking stupid, Sir."

"You know, I'm new, so I haven't really killed anyone, and I don't want to start with a kid..."

"We'll do the honors. Don't worry."

"You're not going to let them kill me, are you?" she looked up at him pleadingly.

"Let me handle this," he whispered, turning back to them. "I really appreciate the help, but we'll just be going."

One of them grabbed his arm as he tried to walk away.

"We're going to have to ask to see your identification. Show me your right wrist."

Hesitantly, he pointed his arm outward. His wrist read "R22475BV".

"Just as I thought!" he hissed. "You're out of your district. And you're a rookie. What are you doing here?"

"I was...uh, summoned. You see...um," they quickly snatched the girl from him, and he was powerless.

"Jas-"

She was cut off when he kicked her to the ground.

"Hey! D-don't touch her!" Jason snapped. Two of them grabbed him, and the other held Mara's arm as she tried to pull away.

"Marshal, kill the girl. We'll take care of him," one of them ordered. With a nod, he took out his knife and brought it to her throat, grabbing her neck as hard as he could.

"NO!" Jason cried. Mara resisted and pushed his arm away, and he fought back.

"Come on, kid, don't make this hard for me. Having your throat slit doesn't hurt as bad as you'd think."

She pushed so hard, her face turned red. Her blood pressure rose. Soon, her skin actually began to glow, emitting its own light. She looked over at Jason, as they were ready to kill him.

"DON'T HURT HIM!" she screeched, pushing as hard as she could, closing her eyes forcefully. When she opened them, Marshal was on the ground, completely mutilated. The others looked at her in shock.

"It...IT'S HER!" one of them shouted. They were stunned, and Jason ran over to Mara.

"Mara...what was...,"

Immediately, she lost consciousness.

When she came to, she was in Jason's arms. She looked in front of her, and there stood a tall, dark castle with statues of Bowser near it.

"A...are we here? What happened?"

"It's okay," he assured her. "I fought the other two off. You're safe now."

"What?"

"You...don't remember? You made that one guy explode!"

"I-I did?" he set her down. "We're here. What now?"

"We go in through the back," he said. "It's our best bet."

"Okay, Jay! You see, it rhymes-"

"Yeah, I got it," he took her hand. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave."

Once they had reached the back end of the castle, there was nothing except for a big flight of stone stairs.

"I don't...have a good feeling about this..."

"Come on, Mara. We're almost there," he said. He grabbed her hand and they headed up.

"What if he's not here? What do we do then?"

"Trust me, he's probably here."

"I'm scared."

"I know. Me too," they got to the top and entered the castle through the balcony, which surprisingly wasn't locked.

The inside of the castle smelled of fire, and there were many rooms. They began opening doors, but they were all empty.

"Daddy?" she called, falling over her feet and getting back up. "Are you here?"

They reached the first floor and continued to search.

"Maybe...he isn't here," Jason said.

She opened a door and found the prison, where there were a plethora of cells.

"Look!" she said. They went inside, and it was crowded to say the least. She put on Luigi's hat and continued to search for him. "Daddy, I'm here to save you!"

They were almost at the end of the hall when Mara stopped and her face lit up. She ran to one of the containment units.

"Daddy!"

**Did anyone notice Mara mentioned Hitler or...?**


	7. journey's downfall

"M-Mara?" his eyes widened. He looked a mess. His hair was everywhere and he had a few bandages on his arms.

"Daddy, I found you!" she tried to reach him through the cage. He walked up to her and she handed him his hat.

"Mara...thank you," Luigi smiled, but began to fret. "Y-you need to leave now."

"But Daddy! We just got here!"

"We?" he looked up at Jason. "Who are you? Have you been taking care of her?"

He nodded.

"Of course. I brought her here."

"Y-YOU IDIOT!" Luigi cried. "How dare you take her here like you don't know that Bowser's going to...," he sighed to calm himself down.

"You know, I was sure Bowser would have killed you. He had the chance," Jason commented. Luigi sighed.

"He only kept me alive in hopes that I would tell him where Mara was. But now that you're here..."

"Daddy, please, we need to go! I'll get you out of here, okay?"

"No, Mara, listen," he knelt down to her level. "Daddy's going to be just fine. Go home and be safe. I'll always be with you, okay?"

"No!" tears ran down her face. "I'm not going! I'm not leaving without you!"

"Mara, let's go," Jason said, taking her hand. She pulled away and held on to the bars of the cell.

"Please," Luigi looked down. "I really appreciate you coming all this way for me. You remind me of...someone I knew."

"Daddy, you can break out of there! I know you can!"

Suddenly, they could hear loud footsteps. Everyone in the room knew who it was and it became almost silent.

"Mara, go home before-"

He was silenced by the sound of the door slamming open. Mara backed away, hiding behind Jason.

"Well, well. Just the little mouse I've been looking for," he grinned. "For eight years."

He pushed Jason out of the way and grabbed her.

"Let her go!" Jason cried.

"Hey, what gives? Return to your position, rookie," Bowser ordered.

"No! Let her go! We were just leaving!"

"Oh, but the party's just getting started," he said. He gave a whistle and about ten minions came to his side. "Take him away. Have him executed at once."

"No! Wait! Mara!" Jason cried as they escorted him out.

"And don't get any blood on the floors I just had waxed!" he called, turning to Luigi. "Heh, looks like I won, huh? I have her. Your own flesh and blood. And you're just as powerless as you were eight years ago. Look at yourself, green-stache. Pathetic."

"Bowser, please! You can kill me. You can do whatever you want to me. Just let her go!"

"Begging won't save her," he chuckled.

"Daddy! Don't let him kill me!"

"I'll kill you!" Luigi screamed. "Bastard! Leave her alone! If you touch a hair on her head-"

"What? You'll run away again?" he threw Mara over his shoulder and turned around. "Come on, Princess. I have work to do."

"Where are you taking me?" she questioned as they left the room. She punched him repeatedly, but it didn't do a thing.

"You'll find out soon enough," he smiled mechanically.

"I hate you! You took my Daddy away!"

"That's not all I've taken, dear," he opened a door and the only thing in the room was a big machine attached to a transparent capsule. He placed her inside and turned it on. "Don't worry. It might hurt at first, but then you'll sleep."

"No!" she cried in pain. "Let me go!"

"You're just as helpless as your mother was. How adorable."

"I don't have a mother, stupid!" she screamed. "Now let me o- AH!"

With a chuckle, he left the room, leaving her in there alone.

"This is all my fault," she cried into her arms, occasionally jolting in pain. Truth be told, the pain didn't bother her as much as knowing her father's fate. Bowser had her, so Luigi was probably going to be disposed of soon.

Nearly an hour passed, and she was beginning to lose consciousness. But she wouldn't let herself because that would mean Bowser had won.

Soon, she heard the door creak open. She looked up and smiled.

"Daddy!"

"Shh," he closed the door behind him and put his hand to the glass. Mara did the same. "I'm so sorry."

"No, Daddy, it wasn't your fault."

His eyes began to water.

"I...I cracked, Mara. They would have found you if you hadn't been out looking for me."

"W-what?" she looked around. "Where's Jason?"

"I escaped my cell. I didn't do so before because...I thought maybe if Bowser kept trying to milk an answer out of me, he wouldn't be so focused on finding you himself. I know it's silly..."

"You didn't answer me! Where is he?"

"He...," Luigi looked down. "He's not coming back, Hon. You understand what's happened to him, don't you?"

She became silent.

"Yes."

"I'm very sorry," he tried to mess around with the machine, attempting to turn it off. "Let's just go home, okay?"

"Okay, Dad," she sniffled, lying down, though there was hardly enough room to do so. Her eyes began to close.

"No, stay awake," he said.

"I can't..."

"You have to," he pressed the buttons rapidly. "Don't fall asleep!"

Suddenly, the machine made a loud chiming noise.

"Ow!" she cried. "No! Make it stop! That's even worse!"

"Sorry, sorry!" he said. He pressed two more buttons, and the machine began to make a low rumble. "Is that better?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Can't you just open the capsule?"

"I'm trying," he said, pressing another button.

"Please enter your eight digit security code," a female robotic voice said.

"Just guess it!" Mara insisted.

He pressed eight buttons, and it buzzed loudly.

"Incorrect entry. Two tries remaining."

"Incorrect entry. One try remaining."

"Incorrect entry. System lock initiated."

"No no no!" he cried, kicking the device. He sat on his knees and covered his face.

"Daddy, it's okay. You tried your best...," she began to drift to sleep.

"No! You can't go yet!" he punched the glass. Her eyes opened.

"Dad...," she said weakly.

"Hm?"

"You know how...when I ask you why I don't have a mommy...you always say you'll tell me another time? Is now a good time?"

Luigi sighed and looked down.

"Your mommy was a beautiful person," Luigi smiled. "Just like you. She had long blonde hair and always wore a puffy pink dress."

"So you fell in love with her, right?"

"No. My brother Mario did. Your dad was the smartest person I knew, Mara. He was also the bravest and the coolest. We always went on adventures together. Bowser always would kidnap your mom, because she was the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. Princess Peach. He wanted to marry her because she was so stunningly beautiful. But Mario beat him to it. They got married, and then you were born...as the only girl in a set of triplets. Your brothers didn't make it, but you did. You were the cutest baby we had ever seen. But then one day...Bowser took the princess again. He put her in a machine like this one and took her magic away. Your daddy tried to save her, but her magic made Bowser so strong, that he couldn't. So I took care of you."

"I want to hear about your adventures, Daddy."

He smiled.

"Okay, well, first things first, your daddy was the brave one. He was the one who would punch Bowser in the nose while I hid in the bushes. But I rescued Mario a few times. I fought real ghosts and I saved the day. And one time, Peach saved us all on her own with a magic umbrella. We saved her many times, but she and Mario just clicked. I used to wish that I could have been with her, but then I never would have met you. Once, we time traveled and met our past selves and saved the princess from aliens. Another time, we were inhaled by Bowser, and we still saved the princess. Oh, and once, we went to Pi'illo Island and stopped Bowser and Antasma from taking over the world, and we rescued Peach again..."

"So, that means I'm a real princess, huh?" her voice was now hoarse as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

"It sure does. M-Mara, are you alright?"

"No," she closed her eyes. "It...hurts..."

"Wait! Um...I can-"

The door swung open and Luigi hid nearby as Bowser came in. Mara looked up at him.

"Still alive?" he groaned. He hooked part of the machine to his arm and tilted his head. "Hm...that's weird. Where's your magic? I know you have it!"

"No..." she moaned. "I need...to...go home..."

"Nothing's coming out! Who could have tampered with the machine? No one's in here!" he growled. "Unless..."

He moved the box beside the machine, and Luigi was there, just as he'd guessed.

"L-leave him...alone...," Mara tried to stand, but fell back down.

"Of course," he picked Luigi up by the collar. "I guess I might as well finish you here. Just as I did your idiot brother. Goodbye, player two!"

"No! Please! Don't hurt him!" Mara pleaded, hitting the glass. "Leave him alone!"

"Mara...I'm so sorry...," Luigi sighed.

"LET. HIM. GO." she punched the glass with every word, finally gaining the adrenaline she needed to stand up.

Bowser looked at her, his eyes widening. He dropped Luigi.

"Is she...glowing?"


	8. The End?

Before anyone could speak, the glass shattered and she was free.

"What? N-no! That can't be...," Bowser glared at Luigi. "Do you know what you've done?"

Mara hugged Luigi tightly and hid behind him.

"Look, you have the Mushroom Kingdom...just let us go," Luigi pleaded. "We'll never come back. Just end the search, and we'll never meet again."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, once her power is mine, I'll have enough magic to rule the entire planet. Right now, it's just war after war until I can conquer different regions. But now...I'll have so much power, taking the world will be a cinch. Unfortunately, she's going to suffer the same fate as Peach. She'll become weak and sickly, and if she doesn't die, well, there's always a place for her in my prison. You know, it was a little sad seeing Peach that way. Poor thing took her own life instead of marrying me. Oh well. And Mario, well, he didn't last very long once I had her power, did he?"

"Mario is ten times the man you'll ever be!" Mara cried, still behind Luigi.

"Then why is he dead?" Bowser smiled. "Oh, that's right- I killed him. Aww. I'd hate to tear apart such a happy little family, but I did it for the sake of the kingdom. I'm sure you understand, right, Luigi?"

"I hate you," Luigi muttered, straightening his hat. "Mara, go somewhere safe. I'm going to finish this fiend."

"Are you sure you wanna do that? I did kill THEE Mario fairly quickly. Are you sure you don't want anyone around to make sure your little princess stays safe?"

"He's bluffing," Mara said. "You're stronger than him."

"No...he's right," Luigi sighed. "I'm not."

"Well, the thingy's broken. He can't do anything now," she said, folding her arms.

"It's a minor setback," Bowser shrugged. "Well, I guess I'll just finish what I started."

He picked Mara up and threw her about ten feet across the room. Luigi braced himself, closing his eyes.

"Mara...I love you..."

She picked herself up and watched in utter terror.

Bowser inhaled deeply, ready to unleash a blast of inferno like the one that had killed Mario. But when he exhaled, nothing happened.

"Huh?" he coughed a few times. "M-my fire! What the hell?"

"Ha!" she laughed, but as she did so, a small spark emitted from her and struck the wall beside him.

"N-no!" he backed away from her a little. "Oh god...I knew something had malfunctioned..."

"What?" Luigi looked at her.

Bowser tried to create lightning with his hands. Nothing. No magic.

"Of...course," he gasped. It finally clicked. "How could I have been so stupid?"

"What?" Mara asked. "What's going on?"

"Wait, your power's gone...isn't it?" Luigi grinned.

"N-no! That's silly. There's no way you could have...," he looked down.

"Whatever I did must have drained your power when you hooked yourself up to the machine. But...then where did it all go?" Luigi asked. He looked at Mara. "C-could it be...?"

"That's silly!" Bowser huffed. "My power isn't gone!" he nearly tripped over his own legs. "And there's no way that little brat has it! Come on, Luigi, don't be stupid!"

"My daddy's not stupid!" she screamed. A puff of fire came from her mouth, but she didn't notice. She inched toward him, and he slowly backed up. "I hate you! You monster!"

"W-wait, don't come any closer..."

"You took my daddy away! You killed my friend! I HATE YOU!" she punched him in the stomach, and surprisingly enough, he flew back a few feet.

"Urgh...," he groaned, holding his head. He stood up fiercely. "Okay, that's enough!"

"Mara!" Luigi turned to her, kneeling down and putting his hands on her shoulders. "...Give 'em hell, Kiddo."

She rolled up her sleeves, but Bowser picked her up by the arm effortlessly.

"You think you can defeat me, don't you? You, an eight-year-old girl. I'd like to see it," he threw her to the ground. "I know I have some magic left, so let's go! Come at me!"

She stood up and threw a small fireball at him, which he dodged.

"That's all?" he kicked her so hard, she hit her head against the wall behind her.

"Ouch...," she rubbed her head. She felt herself getting dizzy, but she stood up again. He punched her with brute force and she again fell to the ground.

"No!" Luigi ran to her. "D-do something! Don't let him beat you up like that!"

She stood up again, but was quickly knocked back down. Bowser stood over her, ready to finish her off.

"Finally," he smiled. "I waited so long for this..."

"Mara!" Luigi cried.

"No...," Mara closed her eyes hard. "NO!"

When her eyes opened, all she saw was a bright light. Enough to make her squint her eyes. She wasn't sure if it came from her or not. It was a bit satisfying. She didn't feel any pain, and if anything, Mara was finally happy.

She closed her eyes again, unable to keep them open any longer. She had no idea what was happening. She wasn't sure what she had done or what was to happen next.

But when she came to, she was home.

**The end.**

** Heh, that's kind of mean of me, huh? I just kind of left it open for you to determine what happens. Does going home mean she succeeded, or did she die? Was the bright light magic, or death?**

** Is it just me or was that...really short? My shortest story yet. I'm just as unsatisfied as you. Unless you are satisfied. Then...you're welcome.**

** I love you guys. Reviews are happily encouraged! **


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